Rivalry
by winterwood11
Summary: Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger were rivals for their grades, for their houses, and for what they believed in.


This was written for the Hogwarts 2012 Archery Event, and for the OTP Boot Camp Challenge (prompt: agitated). Hope you enjoy reading it :)

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Hermione Granger tossed her bag on to the seat and flung herself down, creating a loud crash. The other students in the library glared at her in irritation. Apologizing softly, she swore Draco Malfoy would get it someday, and preferably, she would be the one to give it to him.

Merely thinking about him made her blood boil.

How could he? That infuriating git, it was not as if Hagrid had done anything wrong to him! It was Malfoy's own fault for messing around with Buckbeak in the first place. It was a hippogriff's natural instinct to react! It was just so silly of Malfoy to place the blame on Buckbeak just because he was not happy with what had happened, instead of accepting his mistake. He had the maturity of a six year old!

Buckbeak just had to get through his trial. She would make sure of that. Not only for Buckbeak's own sake, but also to show Malfoy that he could not always get his own way. The world did not revolve around him, whatever he may think. So what if his father was on the board of governors?

Draco Malfoy would lose to her in a battle of wits. He depended on his connections and his wealth to get what he wanted. Well, he would have to grow up someday. He could not depend on his parents forever. When the time came, Hermione would like to see how he fared then. He was quite clever, yes, Hermione had to admit, but only when he applied himself, such as in potions. That kind of attitude would never get him far in life. Especially if he were in her shoes.

"Let's see… Magical Law Enforcement on Creatures, well that could do." Hermione muttered to herself as she grabbed a book from the mahogany shelf and brought it to her seat.

"Talking to yourself, Granger?" A snide tone interrupted her train of thought.

Draco Malfoy. Talk about the devil, and he would appear.

"It seems that you're lonely. Have Potty and Weasel ditched you?" Malfoy taunted.

Hermione stiffened. As a matter of fact, Ron had been ignoring her. Harry was still talking to her, but Ron… The image of Scabbers popped up into her mind.

"It's none of your business Malfoy," Hermione replied primly, trying to keep her tone as unaffected as she could. She stood up and walked briskly to the door.

"Well well, I seem to have hit a nerve," Malfoy continued, casually blocking the exit of the library.

"Could you get out of my sight Malfoy?" Hermione asked exasperatedly.

"Or?" He asked, smirking.

"Or what?" Hermione responded in irritation.

"You don't really expect me to just leave when you ask me to, do you?" Malfoy smirked again.

"Just go away Malfoy, or I will make you!" Hermione insisted. If only he knew how close she was to losing it…

"I'm so scared," Malfoy taunted. "As if you've got the guts. You're just one of Potter's little lackeys, hiding behind the title of Potter's best friend."

"I don't hide, Malfoy. It's called being a friend, not a lackey. And that concept is probably something your snobbish little brain cannot comprehend." Hermione retorted, finally letting her irritation and anger creep into her voice. "At any rate I'm not like you, seeking for help from your family every time you can't handle something."

"You're just jealous of my superiority," Malfoy sneered, seemingly unaffected by her comment. "You'll always be an inferior little mudblood, Granger."

Malfoy stepped out of the door and stalked off before Hermione could respond.

Her heart swelled with indignation, as well as a tinge of sadness? Out of so many things to compare with, it had to be one's blood status. The only thing you could not control. This was like the racism that had been in America in the past. She would fight for equality, just like the African-Americans had done.

But that was all right, Malfoy underestimated her. Hermione was on her last straw. Just one more time, and she would prove to him that she could fight back. And one day, she would show him that he hid much more than she did. She was not the brightest witch in her year for no reason.

Draco Malfoy had just sealed his fate as her rival. He was her rival in what she believed in, a rival in her grades and her rival as a Slytherin.

* * *

How dare that mudblood Granger accuse him?

He was a pureblood. He was better than a mudblood like her. Mudbloods did not simply talk back to him as if he was one of them. He was above them!

The point she had made about him being a coward and hiding behind his family's influence and wealth? He did not hide behind them, he made use of them. What was the point about having something if you did not use it? He wanted to do something, and he could accomplish it since he had the appropriate sources, so why not? He was being clever and resourceful. After all, there was no need for him to waste his own energy.

It was just her twisted way of looking at things. She simply had to look at everything he did negatively. Then and again, he mostly did the same. But his reasons were justified. After all, she was beneath him. Perhaps it was just jealously on her part since he was set for life. She on the other hand? He sneered.

The point that he had made about her was so much more accurate. Hermione Granger would always be viewed as Harry Potter's smart friend! In fact, if it was not for her grades, she would be invisible. It was quite obvious that Granger was the only one with the brains in that trio, Draco approved begrudgingly. It was widespread knowledge in the Slytherin house that if it were not for that 'little mudblood Granger', that attention seeking prat would have performed poorly for his papers. Same thing went for the weasel.

About the matter about the Hippogriff… Buckbeak, was it called? Yes, it seemed like it. Well, it had humiliated and hurt him, so an execution would be its punishment. An added bonus would that it would be a blow to both that giant oaf Hagrid and the Gryffindor trio. His father had probably bought the committee over already; whatever precious information Granger dug up would be useless.

Draco would love to see that mudblood crushed in this little episode.

* * *

"There's still the appeal!" said Ron fiercely. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!"

Hermione expressed her agreement as she heard Malfoy and his gang's laughter.

Buckbeak had lost the case even with the speech that Hermione had prepared. Her points had been clear and concise, with proper information from the committee's past with its dealing with dangerous criminals. Buckbeak should not be executed, according to past cases. She just knew that it was because of Malfoy and his father; they had probably bribed the Committee. It had all been set up. What kind of justice was this? So much about moral integrity if even the Committee was corrupt!

Hermione watched as Hagrid turned around and hurried back to his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.

"Look at him blubber!" She heard his voice. _Malfoy_.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.

Hermione's blood boiled at that statement. How dare that slimy git of a boy say that? It was his fault that Hagrid was reduced to this state in the first place!

"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" Malfoy laughed. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"

That was her last straw. She could not stand that silly voice and attitude of his! Who did he think he was?

Harry and Ron both made furious moves towards Malfoy, but she rushed ahead of them. He said that she hid behind Harry and Ron? She would show him-SMACK!

She had slapped Malfoy around the face with all the strength that she could muster. She watched in satisfaction with a dizzy feeling in her head as Malfoy staggered with a shocked expression on his face. Harry, Ron, Crabbe and Goyle stared at her, flabbergasted.

That one slap was not good enough to show him what she really thought of him. Hermione could hear her heart pounding as she raised her hand again, "Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic you foul- you evil-"

Ron pulled her hand bag and restrained her, "Hermione."

"Get off, Ron!" She protested. That git had to get his punishment today! Hermione took out her wand and paused for a second. What spell would be suitable? She tapped her wand and a few sparks flew out.

"C'mon," Malfoy told his gang as they disappeared into the dungeons.

That stupid, evil _thing_! Hermione thought furiously.

"You'd better beat him in Quidditch finals Harry," She said shrilly, "I just won't be able to stand it if Malfoy wins!"

The two boys goggled at her, and she could see the impressed look in their eyes. It had been quite uncharacteristic of her, she supposed. But at least she had won him today, she thought with satisfaction.

* * *

To simplify matters, Draco Malfoy classified the people he met into three categories. Namely, those with him, which would also be known as family and friends, those he took no notice of and those against him, which were his rivals and enemies.

Right now, Hermione Granger ranked number one on his list of rivals, exceeding even Potter.

That mudblood, how dare she? Accusing him of being a coward was bad enough, but slapping him? That was just out of the question!

Girls were supposed to fall at his feet, pamper him and want him, since he was the rich, influential and handsome Malfoy heir. No one had ever slapped him before, least of all a mudblood! Even his parents had not laid a finger on him.

The nerve of that Granger would kill him! He had underestimated her; that much was true. He had never expected her to hit him like that what with her goody two shoes reputation.

Well, she might have won today but from now on, Draco would be merciless towards her. He would do anything to get that self-satisfactory victory smile of hers wiped off her beaver-like face.

First, he would win the quidditch final against Gryffindor, which had the added bonus of beating Potter as well. Next and more importantly, Buckbeak would get executed.

What a great motivation Granger was. He had not been so riled up for a while. Well, she was going to go down with him in his top shape.

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